Shelly, left, and Donald Sterling jointly own the Clippers through the Sterling Family Trust. / Kirby Lee, USA TODAY Sports

by Brent Schrotenboer, USA TODAY Sports

by Brent Schrotenboer, USA TODAY Sports

Shelly Sterling does not want to be the managing owner of the Los Angeles Clippers and does not want to buy out the other 50% share of the team owned by her husband Donald, a person close to the Sterling camp told USA TODAY Sports on Thursday.

But she does want to keep her 50% share in the team, and she is willing to be have an outside buyer come in to take her husband's stake while she stays in the background as a passive owner, as she is now, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly about the situation.

Asked if the NBA was OK with such a scenario, the person said Mrs. Sterling remains in talks with the league.

Shelly Sterling's intentions complicate any league effort to wash its hands completely of the Sterling family after Donald Sterling made racist comments about African-Americans in a private conversation that was recorded and later leaked to the website TMZ. A few days after the comments became public, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced a lifetime ban of Sterling and said the league would move to force a sale of the team.

As for Shelly Sterling, Silver said at the time that there "have been no decisions about other members of the Sterling family."

Donald Sterling, who has owned the Clippers since 1981, has not announced his intentions but is expected to fight the NBA's decision. The Sterlings, now separated, have been married more than 50 years. They jointly own the team through the Sterling Family Trust, each with a 50% share that is set up to be bequeathed to their children upon death, the person said.

Shelly Sterling has distanced herself from her husband's remarks, saying she is not a racist.

Previously she has been entangled in housing discrimination lawsuits as a co-defendant with her husband and the family trust. In 2009, the Sterlings settled a federal housing discrimination case for nearly $2.8 million.

Shelly Sterling also his suing her husband's alleged mistress, V. Stiviano, seeking the return of expensive gifts her husband gave to Stiviano. Stiviano denies she has ever had a romantic relationship with Sterling.